Suits and Briefs: A PL Gear Guide

Bigger Stronger Leaner Powerlifting & Strength Sports
21

I just got into a Katana A/S about 2 months or so ago, and have figured out it’s quite a versatile shirt… I have only been powerlifting about a year and haven’t done a meet yet, but I’ve been taken under the wings of some world-class in my short career. Here’s what I’ve found out about it so far:

Gear Being Reviewed: Single Ply Katana A/S (Scoop Neck, Closed Back)

Pros: As I said before, the great thing I have found about this shirt is that you can use it many different ways. I have long, monkey arms built for pulling, so I’ve found that I PERSONALLY don’t like it jack it down TOO much, and like this I am able to flare, THEN tuck, to get the best of both worlds poly-wise.

When I first got into the shirt, I played it like most people do the Rage-X or Phenom- building it with the elbows tucked as hard as possible. Either way, it gives a great sling back for a single-ply shirt.

I have also learned that putting it on inside out, palms neutral, twisting the sleeves so the seem is an inch inside the elbow, then pulling it over the head gives a better carry-over throughout the lift and lockout, it’s just harder to use.

Cons: This shirt can be very frustrating. I ended up switching benching styles because it was SO HARD to get shit to touch without flaring, letting the chest plate lock up, then tucking and shifting your elbows toward your feet.

Also, you have to follow the groove off the chest/board JUST RIGHT or you’ll fucking dump it into your face or it’ll jump about 2 inches and die like it ran out of gas. I can tell this shirt is going to take a while to master, but I know the carryover will be worth it once you get the groove down.

Comparison: This shirt is a one of a kind shirt, and could be compared to numerous shirts. I prefer to use it like the BASH, while I know a guy who uses it like most people use the Rage-X. Like I said before- it all really depends on YOUR benching style and what works best for you, IN THIS SHIRT.

I bench best in the Rage-X by taking the bar really far out, and coming straight down, tucking the whole way; while I flare, then tuck with the BASH. It’s all personal preference here.

Thoughts: If you want a bigger bench, this shirt can definitely give it to you. However, it may take you a little longer to find YOUR groove in this shirt. I have never had difficulty benching in a shirt until this one. It’s not like it’s uncomfortable, it’s just difficult to handle.

However, if you have the time to put in to learn this shirt, go for it. I’ve learned what little I’ve learned from using a program like Metal Melitia’s, or the Yard Program. Try it out and let me know what you guys think.

22

[quote]Power GnP wrote:

Steve would you mind doing a quick review of the Inzer TRX, in Europe (IPF) it seems to be becoming the suit of choice. I’ve heard it explained as a cross between the rebound of the Metal Squatter and the stopping power of the Centurion…
[/quote]

Sorry it took so long to get back to you on this Power GnP, I personally have not tried the TRX, but a number of members of my team have used it, along with a single ply t-rex (only difference is velcro straps). From what I’ve seen, and knowing the way the t-rex/predators work, I would have to say I agree with that. The material is very stiff, but thin, so you feel a lot of support but still get good pop out of it. We’ve had guys use it for pulling sumo with great success, and the guys that have squatted in it like it a lot too. I’m thinking about doing a single ply training cycle, and I think I’m actually going to purchase one myself. Hope that helps, PM me if you need anything else.

23

Stats: 18yo, 5"10, 181lbs IPF Lifter
Best Lifts: 213.5kg@81.75kg / 470lbs@180lbs SQUAT
Gear Experience: Titan Centurion NXG Super+ Narrow Stance, INZER HardCore

Equipment being reviewed: Titan Centurion NXG Super+ Narrow Stance

Pros: Good Carryover - with knee wraps and this suit, I get about 50-60kgs carryover(about 160 raw, 220 equipped).

Cons: Not many at all really. It bruises my tailbone a bit, slightly annoying, but no biggie. It can throw you a little bit, but it’s fine once you get used to it.

Comparison: This is my second Squat suit, my first suit was an INZER HardCore - which gave me less carryover. This suit is a bit less forgiving, and a bit harder to learn. The Harcore is a rebound suit, I can get depth with no weight, the centurion is a “stopping” suit, I need 170kg or more to hit depth without forcing it. Although this suit is harder to deal with, I would recommend a beginner with good technique can still use this suit, they just need to harden the fuck up and deal with it.

Thoughts: I believe this is the best single ply squat suit on the market, the only possible rival to this is the INZER TRX, which is a very similar suit. Not sure which is better, I have training partners using the TRX who like it alot.

This is the narrow stance version, and I do squat narrow stance and it has worked perfectly for me. Can’t comment on the Wide Stance version though.

I wear a size 36 at 181lbs, 5"10, with 25" thighs. Size 36 is recommended as “comp fit” for a 165lb lifter, and since I have bigger legs for a 181 lifter, the legs were extremely tight to begin with, but have stretched a bit. It took me 45 mins to get the suit 2-3inches from “on” the first time, took me another few times to get it fully on, I had to get into it another few times before I could squat in it too. Now it takes me only a few minutes to get into it with suit slippers(essential), although this is still a very tight suit for me

24

Stats: 18yo, 5"10, 181lbs IPF Lifter
Best Lifts: 241kg@81.75kg / 530lbs@180lbs CONVENTIONAL DEADLIFT
Gear Experience: INZER HardCore, INZER Fusion

Equipment being reviewed: INZER Fusion

Pros: Nice pop off the floor, even in a loose suit, I got good pop off the floor. I was using a size 32 which was quite loose, but I still felt good carryover, much better than my HardCore which was pretty tight. I’ve since ordered a size 30 fusion.

Cons: Puts a bit of pressure on the nads, its not too bad though :slight_smile:

Comparison: I previously used a HardCore for deadlifting, which I got pretty much shit all out of. This Fusion gives me a really good pop off the floor, it really helps the bar speed off the floor, which ofcourse carries momentum to the lockout too.

Thoughts: This is a great deadlifting suit, given good reviews by others too I’ve seen. From my experience and research, this suit is probably the best conventional deadlift suit available, I also hear Metal make a good deadlift suit.

Even if the straps aren’t that tight, they tighten up when you go to grab the bar, making it a bit hard to get to the bar(which is good). Gives excellent pop off the floor, miles ahead of the HardCore. Highly recommended for conventional pullers!

25

Thomas and I were in the gym today(home gym) and this one college dropout, well actually the dean droped him, well anyway Tom benched 380 lbs RAW late this morning. So… I need some help, do you think a bench shirt would help. I understand inzer makes denim shirts.

26

Is there a classified section on T-Nation for like if someone has powerlifting/bodybuilding gear for sale?

27

Stats: 31, 308’er, 2 meets, training less than 2 years

Best Lifts:
Leviathan + Briefs = easy 730 in the gym.

Gear Experience: Inzer Leviathan, Inzer Double Ply Hardcore Briefs, Inzer Hardcore suit

Equipment being reviewed: Inzer Leviathan

Leviathan Pros: Stopping power is unreal and you get a LOT of rebound. Adjustable straps really help get tightness where it needs to be for a particular weight. It’s great for a sumo puller, too. This is a very well made suit with quality materials.

Leviathan Cons: Price. You also have to get your measurements perfect because you can’t really alter it due to the construction. Also, it might take a week or so to get the product due to the time it takes to sew the canvas.

Leviathan Thoughts: The nickname is there for a reason. This is a suit that, if it fits you the right way, will put you in another class of lifting.

This suit is STIFF and will make you go above your current max in order to hit depth (if fit properly), especially if wearing briefs. I do not see myself getting another kind of suit. It’s just that good.

28

Nice thread guys. I’m starting to consider gear for the first time here, probably a few months away, but I’m looking at options now.

I deadlift conventional, and currently I’m squatting narrow stance too (olympic style) and plan to for a while. So far after reading through this thread I see:

Metal ACE, Metal King Conv. DL, the Fusion, Centurion NGX+

Any additional advice for a shopper? I realize some experimenting and trial/error is expected of course.

29

Best squat 771@181

Combo - Ace Brief/Inzer canvas

Pros - I’ve used all of the canvas suits (ginny, frantz, inzer) with similar results. I like the inzer right now because it binds me up the least and I feel like I can push my hips back in it. It’s the most comfortable canvas i’ve worn and fucks up my groove the least.

Con’s - The straps are thicker than any other suit I’ve used and it makes it harder to feel the bar on my back. It rolls sometimes.

I like the metal brief underneath becuase it has lots of stopping power and it’s thick, making my suit tighter.

30

Stats: 5’9" 240lbs, 27 years old

Best Lifts: 585 raw conventional deadlift, 585 squat in Crane double ply suit (no wraps)

Gear Experience: Crane double ply briefs and suit, single ply Titan Super Centurion

Equipment being reviewed: single ply Titan Super Centurion

Pros: TONS of pop out of the hole. I am probably going to get more than 200 lbs out of this suit after it’s all said and done, and it’s really loose on me. With the straps up it is really hard to break parallel with 500 lbs. It can be done but it’s a hell of a fight. I also pull sumo style in this suit since I can’t pull conventional anymore after my hip injury.

Cons: The suit is super tight in the legs and then looser in the hips. It might just be me though. My thighs are pretty big (27.5"). After this next meet I will get the hips taken in so that will fix the problem. The straps are also very loose. I can pull them both up with no help. I will get that fixed as well. The biggest con though is pain. This suit will tear your legs apart. Hitting depth feels like someone has the skin from your thighs pinched in a hydraulic press. In my opinion the pain is well worth it.

Comparison: The Crane really isn’t in the same league as the Titan. It’s a beginner suit that is easy to get on and is fairly comfortable to wear. The Titan is a whole different ball game.

Thoughts: This is Titan’s new version of the Centurion. It has a 2 ply harness system sewn into a single ply suit so it is still IPF approved.

31

[quote]Steel Nation wrote:
Stats: 5’9" 240lbs, 27 years old

Best Lifts: 585 raw conventional deadlift, 585 squat in Crane double ply suit (no wraps)

Gear Experience: Crane double ply briefs and suit, single ply Titan Super Centurion

Equipment being reviewed: single ply Titan Super Centurion

Pros: TONS of pop out of the hole. I am probably going to get more than 200 lbs out of this suit after it’s all said and done, and it’s really loose on me. With the straps up it is really hard to break parallel with 500 lbs. It can be done but it’s a hell of a fight. I also pull sumo style in this suit since I can’t pull conventional anymore after my hip injury.

Cons: The suit is super tight in the legs and then looser in the hips. It might just be me though. My thighs are pretty big (27.5"). After this next meet I will get the hips taken in so that will fix the problem. The straps are also very loose.

I can pull them both up with no help. I will get that fixed as well. The biggest con though is pain. This suit will tear your legs apart. Hitting depth feels like someone has the skin from your thighs pinched in a hydraulic press. In my opinion the pain is well worth it.

Comparison: The Crane really isn’t in the same league as the Titan. It’s a beginner suit that is easy to get on and is fairly comfortable to wear. The Titan is a whole different ball game.

Thoughts: This is Titan’s new version of the Centurion. It has a 2 ply harness system sewn into a single ply suit so it is still IPF approved.

[/quote]

Really?

I have this suit also. I had a regular centurion nxg super + and I have found zero difference in the suits.

I think I actually like the regular centurion better. I had a 48 regular centurion then I bought a 46 super centurion and the 46 was way harder to get on and put the straps up but yet I have found it gives me nothing extra at all. It was much easier to go down in the super centurion as well.

I dont know why but I have found that the super centurion binds up and rolls up the leg instead of grabbing no matter how tight it is.

Needless to say I did not see the reason for me to spend the extra cash on a super centurion instead of the plain centurion.

I get less than 100lbs from this suit and its as tight as can be so maybe its just me.

I am prob going to switch suits next and go with a different brand prob Inzer.

I just wish somebody made the legs longer for tall people so that the suit didnt bind up in my hip area.

32

I have a question for those who use squat suits/wraps here. Approximately how much added weight would a top-of-the-line sing-ply suit and knee wraps give to a lifter capable of a 200kg ass-to-the floor Oly squat? I’m talking about suits like the Metal King and Super Centurion, etc. Please feel free to give your honest estimate.

33

[quote]EasternHammer wrote:
I have a question for those who use squat suits/wraps here. Approximately how much added weight would a top-of-the-line sing-ply suit and knee wraps give to a lifter capable of a 200kg ass-to-the floor Oly squat? I’m talking about suits like the Metal King and Super Centurion, etc. Please feel free to give your honest estimate.[/quote]

It depends on how strong your core is and what your weak link is.

Stronger core = more carryover

I’d be surprised if you didn’t get 70kg+ out of the combo above.

I did 190 2x3 in wraps and then about 6 weeks later 272.5kg x1 in competition in a Centurion NXG Super+

I’ve subequently done 207.5kg x5 in a belt and 227.5kg x4 in wraps. I’ll be taking a max single in competition in about 9 weeks so will update again if I remember.

34

Alright, so let me ask one more question. From reading this thread, two phrases people are using to describe the suit performance are “stopping power” and “rebound.” While I can imagine what the difference is, how can one know which is more suitable for one’s style of squatting, and which suits provide which type of effect?

35

[quote]EasternHammer wrote:
Alright, so let me ask one more question. From reading this thread, two phrases people are using to describe the suit performance are “stopping power” and “rebound.” While I can imagine what the difference is, how can one know which is more suitable for one’s style of squatting, and which suits provide which type of effect? [/quote]

Generally, polyester suits (like centurions, hardcores, etc.) give rebound, while canvas (Leviathon, Frantz) stop you in the hole. Canvas is DEFINITELY suited for more advanced lifters, as it takes a lot of weight to hit depth.

edit: Sorry, didn’t answer all of it. Most suits have an option for wide or narrow stance, except canvas (only wide, I believe.)

36

It seems though, that even some polyester squat suits are marketed or are believed to have great “stopping power.” At least two people in this threat have said that the Centurion suit is like that. The METAL Viking suits are also advertised as having great stopping power. I personally feel like I need a suit with great rebound. Any recommendations?

37

I would get a Centurion. I think those comments mean in comparison to other polys. Because stopping power of canvas compared to poly is like comparing a MACK truck to a tonka truck. Any good suit should feel like its trying to stop you at least some in the bottom.

38

Man sometimes seeing these carry over numbers and its hard for me to believe. How many of you actually know a raw max to compare it to?

39

[quote]AllerCuzine wrote:
Man sometimes seeing these carry over numbers and its hard for me to believe. How many of you actually know a raw max to compare it to? [/quote]

Good question.

I had a training partner ask me once how much I got out of my Metal deadlift suit. All I could do was shrug, smile, and say somethin smart-alecky like “720” or “more than I pull raw”. It’s a funny thing. I never take a max competiton-style pull in training.

I never pull in a meet without a suit. I can pull more in a meet than I can in the gym. And I know I can pull more in a suit than I can without one. But I really have no way to compare apples to apples. But I would guess I get somthign less than 100 out of my deadlift suit and something more than 25.

I guess the question is really a moot point. The idea is to lift the most amount of weight possible under the circumstances in which you compete. What happens in training and on the platform will tell you what you can do.

Sometimes, I feel that when somebody who does not train/compete in gear asks “how much do you get out of X piece of support gear” they are looking for data to perform this mental exercise where they plug in their raw numbers and add the “gear factor” figure out what they could do hypothetically if they used gear.

(I have heard even more ludicrous calculations based on what somebody would lift if they took so-and-such drug) Sometimes this is out of legitimate curiosity. Other times, I have heard people use these fantasy calculations to downplay a geared lifter’s achievements.

40

[quote]EasternHammer wrote:
Alright, so let me ask one more question. From reading this thread, two phrases people are using to describe the suit performance are “stopping power” and “rebound.”

While I can imagine what the difference is, how can one know which is more suitable for one’s style of squatting, and which suits provide which type of effect? [/quote]

I think that for squatters that use a lot of leg and back, a springy suit tends to serve them better. Squatters that use more hip and really technique the weight up seems to get the most out of canvas or poly suits that have a similar feel.